Editing Patch clamp (section)

== Automatic patch clamping ==
[[Automated patch clamp]] systems have been developed in order to collect large amounts of data inexpensively in a shorter period of time. Such systems typically include a single-use [[microfluidics|microfluidic]] device, either an [[injection molding|injection molded]] or a [[polydimethylsiloxane]] (PDMS) cast chip, to capture a cell or cells, and an integrated electrode.

In one form of such an automated system, a pressure differential is used to force the cells being studied to be drawn towards the pipette opening until they form a gigaseal. Then, by briefly exposing the pipette tip to the atmosphere, the portion of the membrane protruding from the pipette bursts, and the membrane is now in the inside-out conformation, at the tip of the pipette. In a completely automated system, the pipette and the membrane patch can then be rapidly moved through a series of different test solutions, allowing different test compounds to be applied to the intracellular side of the membrane during recording.<ref name=Bowlby>{{cite journal|last1=Bowlby|first1=Mark|last2=Merrill|first2=Thomas|last3=Vasilyev|first3=Dmitry|title=Development of a Novel Automated Ion Channel Recording Method Using ''Inside-Out'' Whole-Cell Membranes|journal=Journal of Biomolecular Screening|volume=10|issue=8|pages=806–813|date=2005|doi=10.1177/1087057105279481|pmid=16234349|doi-access=free}}</ref>